The present disclosure relates to an erosion control wall system that protects a beach, bank or bluff from soil erosion and methods relating thereto.
Shorelines and beaches may be subject to erosion from the action of waves or movement of water. Wave action may erode beaches by several different mechanisms. Waves mobilize shoreline materials and then redistribute them, leading to erosion. Rising and falling water levels may erode beaches over a long period of time. Shoreline structures, including seawalls, pilings and levees, often increase beach erosion adjacent to those structures, by causing wave reflection, turbulence, eddies and currents. These currents mobilize the beach materials which may be transported along shore or offshore. Offshore currents can carry the beach materials many miles away until the current slows and the beach materials sink due to the influence of gravity.
Further, heavy storms can impinge high waves on beaches and shorelines, imparting forces which carry away the beach or crumble the shoreline leading to erosion. During severe storm conditions, when the waves are commonly two to three, and occasionally ten times their normal height, the typical beach response is the loss of material from the beach zone.
Municipalities and individuals often place sand on the shoreline to establish a beach to increase the leisure value of shoreline. Storms having higher wave heights than normal will often severely depreciate the amount of beach material. During such storms, the artificial beaches commonly wash away, because the shoreline, sea bed or lake bed structure is not compatible with the existence of a beach at the location of the artificial beach.
Erosion control wall systems may reduce erosion at a bank or bluff by diverting and dissipating the energy from oncoming waves. Known erosion control systems have various deficiencies, such as not dissipating wave or water movement effectively. Systems are also subject to movement or destruction from the wave action or water movement itself, reducing the effectiveness.
The erosion control wall system of the invention provides a system which is both effective and resists movement or destruction. The wall system and methods may utilize slip form construction. Slip form construction allows constructing wall sections according to the invention in place that results in reduced construction periods and cost savings. The slip form method can be applied with benefit to a range of structures for a predetermined location and environment. Openings, tapering profiles, reductions in wall thickness and large embodiments can be accommodated. The use of slip form manufacturing results in significant cost benefits when compared with traditional formwork or jump form systems. The slip form process may be used during almost every weather condition. Construction requirements for slip form can be met in any but the most severe of weather conditions. The erosion control structures as presently disclosed can be formed using slip form construction at a site, and the wall sections can be positioned, avoiding the need for transportation and/or storage of such systems.
According to the present disclosure, the erosion wall system stabilizes the soil along a bank or a bluff. The wall system includes a plurality of members, each having a center section, one or more sidewalls, a front face extending from the left sidewall to the right sidewall; wherein the front face is positioned to divert wave energy from incoming waves near a beach or bank, or relative to movement of water adjacent thereto. A rear face is formed to extend from the left sidewall to the right sidewall that stabilizes the retention wall in position, and a stabilizing member extending from the rear face. The member further includes a top face, and a bottom support surface.
A present disclosure also relates to a method of on-site manufacturing of erosion control wall sections that includes providing a slip form having a front section, back section and stabilizing member section. The method includes positioning rebar inside the front section, back section, and stabilizing member section, and pouring concrete into a slip form having a front section, back section, and stabilizing member section. The wall section is the sealed, wherein sealing of the front section, back section and stabilizing member section is performed with a sealing compound, to strengthen the surfaces thereof for enhanced wearing and longevity.